New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1887-04-09
THE PBoBAsco COLLECTION

THE PROBASCO COLLECTION
Tho collection OF Mr. Henry Probasco, OF csninnns
which was placed upon exhibition ut thu American Azs
Galleries vesteray has been Eastern amztsrs
but It will prove surprise to the public Cincinnati oel-
lectors an rule have devoted themselves sedslsy
to the schools of Dusseldorf, Munich and Berlin VIVA
strong preference for tho rst that our public 10 mos pro
pared to find In collection from that city rev q sns
finest examples Of certain French masters whsdh ~
have seen aales collections It appears has IL
Probasco improved with intelligence the opportunities q
Paris before eager demands OF fashion had taken out
of the market the worthier paintings q
the men of 1880" We need not ourselves with
his many miscellaneous purchases, which MI tho two
smaller galleries Only thirty Of the 103 pictures have
been hung in the large gallery Each has been isolated
and draped no doubt with an eye to EFFECT" but any
one who cares the esurey and undsturbed study OF
pictures will be thankful for this arrangement
Milets "New-born Calf" which with the Deiacroix
may well be named before the ROusseaus Breton Troyon
or Daz fine as these examples recalls the storm OF
criticism raised by the first exhibition OF this famous
picture in 1864 ut is sacrege" said the wiseacres
and Mlet who had simply painted familiar scene in
the rural life which he part was forced 70 snow
fooshness of tho attack In this letter to senser:
"Apropos Of what Jean Rousseau says about my
who carry o calf as 1t were tho
sacrament the bull Apishow does he expect them to
carry 1T The expression of two men carrying some
thing on litter depends upon the weight which hangs
from their So, II the weight were tho same.
whether they had the ark OF the covenant or caif
lump Of gold stone, the Same expression would DO
the result and IL they filed with admiration
and for what they carrying. stu they
would be subject to the law Of weight and their ex-
preston could only be that Of tho weight The more
they wish preserve the object carried the more care
full will be their OF walking, and they will keep
STEP . And this Is the whole secret Of all this sol
emnity so much found fault with" In this picture
fha afFaafA NJ
weight In the tense and bowed shoulders OF the two
men carrying the letter. and in addition to the perfect
truth Of action there charmingly characteristic touch
in the two children coming from the doorway to meet
the odd procession walks beside thelitter, her
plainly than usual and the COW jealous
" following cks the absurd little red aud white creature
on the litter The background is filled with foliage The
reddish color of the and the calf unduy
positive and 1t may be said that in quality OF coloring
Met has surpassed this picture although we have not
seen 1t out of the gilt frame But the beauty OF the
picture Is the distinguished draughtmanshp sim
pie naurasm and truthful action and to an infusion OF
healthy septiment as WELL This picture ranks high
among Mets works. whiIo the Delacroix. although not
to be named in the first rank Of the artists paintings
Tassos Jerusalem Delivered Is Clorihda saving the
Martyrs noble Joan OF Arc sheahed armor save her
head refining her horse among the brutal M0siems
at foot OF the funeral pile upon which two mart, rs
bound the smoke already rising from beneath here:
subject ami the strong coorng and vigorous prushwork
show how thoroughly he entered INTO this thrilling scene
point of color the figure OF Clornda is slightly suo0rdi
nd s e s 81 the and YET the Superb action
of horse and rider and the flowing hair and as
essy to ind passages Of faulty drawing for we know
that the artist permitted himself certain license wnen
central thought feeling but this is very different
from the comparative weakness OF an isapey
artists in this collection are Of unusual excellence
OF cooring. Isabeys Cupifs Message to the Graees
ure Of realism and the IDEAL opulent piece Of color
as rch although brilliant or varedas Diazs Re
ora the esteem Which his sarepeces generally
held But saus this s1onr
n 9Ss 70 quality q humanity appears in Breton:
nearly twenty years ago d. aud sson9g sna the
rest With much simplicity and truth he painted 4
group OF peasant women kneeling at their work
on the the Level red shs the s
horizon AT the left where the moon Is seen In tho
Miilet the artist expressed himself by of his
figures rather than by the facial expression which as he
more Here the attitudnizng of his figures not felt
in his later work They are nsaIaIsts ana these
which is impressive though the sentiment. real
in the most mos dslsStfdi pictorial form The same mo
with very different treatment OF course has been used
An example Of more refined and harmonious colorng.
and also Of less positive force Is to be found IN
thirty or small figures Arabs watching musicians
and dancers learned and beautiful example OF cxcep
tional quality
ing phases OF many different manners First
in chronological order the "Fontainebleau." No.
40. evidently an early example painted about 1888
haps others affected by him, ike fers and Huet
still strongly felt The brown shoulders OF the hill and
broad planes OF the landscape, and even the cottages
suggest the English influence little, while the breadth
and ygor of the execution and color show the
lists personal force. Next comes the masterpiece. as
Ia
this country This is one Of the many subjects
which Rousseau aud Dupre found during year In Les
Landes in southern France. Oak trees eitherside
frame a view OF surprisingly brilliant lighting and
accurately rendered distance In the middle Of the sky
light streams out which battles river and landscape Tho
light is cold. and In way artificial but even II this
dness is impressive The water is perfectly clear and
the distance by the reflections along the
bank. This may have been painted about 1850
OF this particular which involved elaboration,
careful rendering OF all parts OF the subject hard
texture, and brushwork constrained and minute
rather than sweeping this picture Is as we o have sn
us in preferring the freer, more vigorous manner
exemplifed in lie Girre or lie Mons Girdrd The third
blonde Rousseaus," is autumn with rich
color but weaker In execution and uneven
coorng than the Others picture containing hints OF
the artists last period. period OF decline.
Troyon's large Coming Storm noble example both
In color landscape painting and variey Coutures charm
ing Day Dreams" rich little Fontainebleau forest
glade by Diaz and interesting Dupre chief among
the pictures which remain Tho original study for
the largo Auguste Bonheur Of the Stewart collection
schreyer Merle, Meyer Won Bremen. the Englishmoi
vicat Cole and Linncll aud kaubach's large Char
ty" conspicuous instance OF sentimentaisn inartistc
ally expressed The first gallery occupied by an al
nrabe collection Of porcelains exhibited by the assocla
Lon